Sickening Republican Slight to PrideThis post has taken me a good few hours to finish. I've actually toned it down a lot on re-reading, all of which wasn't doing my blood-pressure any good I guess. Trying to be as objective as possible when I'm this close to the subject has been hard. So I decided to screw on my journalistic head (just like Wurzel Gummage if he had one) as much as I could. I may have only been back in Northern Ireland for only 10 days but I've already learnt a lot in my few short days back here. First a personal observation, ... (more) |
Culcha - innitToday was the first meeting of the new Culture Board for Cornwall, followed by a consultation event about the new Culture Green Paper. I've been appointed by the Council's scrutiny committee to attend meetings of the Board and to report back. My role is not to play a part in decision making, but I don't see it as meekly watching from the sidelines either. I will be asking questions (sometimes difficult ones) and challenging assumptions in order to make sure that the new Board (which is an excellent idea by the way) really takes the lead. The members of the ... (more) |
St George's, ClunClun's church is situated on a rise of ground on the English side of the river. It looks as though it was built so that it could be defended if the Welsh cut up rough. The original Saxon settlement was here too and probably for the same reason. Later a new town was laid out in the shadow of Clun Castle on the other side of the river and the parish was moved from Wales into Shropshire. This is the reason why, when you look at a map of the border today, Clun Forest just out into Wales You will ... (more) |
Half a defence of Paul Staines (aka @guidofawkes)My Voice colleague Iain Roberts has already blogged about this afternoon's big political news that William Hague's special advisor Christopher Myers has quit his post following allegations — vehemently denied by both — that they might be having an affair. Iain writes: "We at Lib Dem Voice wish both the Hagues and Christopher Myers well," and I agree 100%. However, there are two further points I'd make. The questions were fair enough... Paul Staines blogged about the issue on 24th August, using the Freedom of Information Act to ask three questions inquiring as to the suitability of Mr Myers acting ... (more) |
Half a defence of Paul Staines (aka @guidofawkes)My Voice colleague Iain Roberts has already blogged about this afternoon's big political news that William Hague's special advisor Christopher Myers has quit his post following allegations — vehemently denied by both — that they might be having an affair. Iain writes: "We at Lib Dem Voice wish both the Hagues and Christopher Myers well," and I agree 100%. However, there are two further points I'd make. The questions were fair enough... Paul Staines blogged about the issue on 24th August, using the Freedom of Information Act to ask three questions inquiring as to the suitability of Mr Myers acting ... (more) |
Blair and bloggersSo, Tony Blair doesn't like bloggers. He quite contemptuously dismissed people who write blogs as non-representative of the views of the population as a whole. Instead, he claimed he had a direct link with the people and knew exactly what they thought. He was equally dismissive of journalists. Andrew Marr had to remind him that intermediaries - the media, in all its professional and amateur forms - necessarily stood between the PM and the people. This exemplifies a problem that is a real one for everyone in public life. Politicians inevitably come under attack, and in order to maintain their ... (more) |
Ben Collins will not continue as The StigWell, such is the drift of an otherwise inscrutable performance by James May on the Simon Mayo show here at 1:05. If you've ever wondered how to fly a A330 (I thought that was a road near Birmingham) there is some clue in the clip. (more) |
When a leading blogger (and the MSM) really mess upWell, he's been leading up to it for a long time but this time Guido has really shown his true colours for all to see.... Let's step back a bit – as they say. One of the "life skills" which I have acquired is living through (a) losing a child and (b) ten years of trying for children. These are the sort of "life skills" which make one a "grown up". Making cheap shots at someone in a general fog of homophobia does not make one a "grown up". It is valid to question the appointment of an alleged friend ... (more) |
The Stig and Ben Collins: Told you soIn fact I told you so back in December 2008, simply by quoting the Guardian. So why has the BBC been spending money trying to keep a secret that was told long ago? (more) |
Discworld ConventionI managed to get to most of three days of the Discworld Convention in Birmingham last weekend; it was great fun as I expected. The headline for me was that Terry Pratchett himself is looking and sounding very well. I saw him speak at the opening ceremony on Friday and the "Man in the Hat" interview on Saturday, and my friend D won the draw to meet him in a klatsch and reported that he was just as lucid in a group conversation. Long may he continue. The striking visual thing about the con was the number of people in ... (more) |